The Hourglass Chronicles of L Lawliet
by SecondDaySoreness
Summary: Mass murders of supernatural means. The Volturi, Cullens, and Light Yagami's creators are getting desprate. L's name is in the death note, his time is running out. Hence the deal. He solves the case 3 days before his death or lives on without a heartbeat.
1. Chapter 1

14 days, 19 minutes, 43 seconds.

That's the amount of time that has to pass before Light Yagami is executed.

Sitting in a cell in a maximum security prison, he wonders why Ryuk didn't just kill him. It would be simple.

But no. This is just a game for Ryuk, he is mere entertainment. He will watch the show until it is over, and when it becomes boring, he will make it interesting. But Ryuk is entertained enough with whatever L happens to be doing right now to fail to be helpful in any way whatsoever.

Stupid shingami could be blamed for this entire mess.

Light doesn't regret his coming, however. Light regrets the fact that he's lost. It's so appallingly, blatantly wrong that he, justice incarnate, is going to die like the ones he was ethically compelled to punish. The world is a defiled, broken, corrupt, disgusting place for sentencing him to this fate.

He's not even allowing himself to think about the fury infesting his mind. If he were to dwell on it, he would doubtlessly go insane.

The shinigami has been making the most unnecessary comments. Light has less than a month left to live, he's really not in a state to tolerate the useless shinigami's blather, but Ryuk just WONT GO AWAY. One is supposed to feel despair and anger and unspeakable dread at dying, but in addition, Light is bombarded with the additional feeling of extreme annoyance.

He focuses on it, for the sake of his sanity.

He refuses to be degraded into a lunatic by this immoral trash holding him here. If he had his Death Note, he would kill them all. He would make the trade with Ryuk and kill them all. He would seek L and watch him die. That would have to be retribution enough.

Ryuk laughs like a sick donkey. Hyuk, hyuk, yuk yuk yuk. That's the third time in the past 15 minutes of Light disregarding every world he said. This is not how he wanted to spend his last moments. Curse the shinigami. "Light, it's like you didn't even consider the possibility you were going to be caught."

"Shut up." Light snarls.

"Oh, so you can still talk." Ryuk remarks. "I was getting worried about you, Light. Apparently knowing your death is imminent does some… interesting things to humans."

Light chooses to use a great deal of explicit language at this point. I will not include it for your convenience.

"I don't suppose you could figure out a way to get me an apple in this place?" Ryuk asks, ignoring Light's ranting.

An idea strikes Light. An offer. Ryuk might agree. He just might. It's within his range of character, certainly. And it's worth trying. "Ryuk…"

"Light, I need an apple. I'm having apple withdrawls. I should go see L. Maybe he has an apple."

"Ryuk."

"What?" He asks.

"If I make the trade with you, will you give me your Death Note?" Shinigami eyes and a Death Note. That will gain him his freedom, if he does it correctly.

And of course he will.

Ryuk laughs. Light feels the sudden urge to hit his head on something.

"I thought you said you were never going to make the trade."

Light smirks. "This isn't over yet, Ryuk."

"So I give you my Death Note and eyes and you'll break out of prison by killing them all. Then what?" Ryuk asks with interest.

This sounds good. But Ryuk is unpredictable.

"Those who have wronged god must pay." Light answers, the intensity of Kira seeping back into his features. His eyes have gone hard with ruthless light. The giver of 'justice' is about to be given a second chance.

"Ooh, Light, you sound so superior again."

"This time, I will be victorious." He says with a maniacal grin, already planning, calculating.

Ryuk laughs again. "As much as your idea sounds fun, Light, this one is mine." Ryuk says, gesturing to the Death Note strapped to his leg. "You can't have it. Call the guard and ask him for an apple for me."

Are apples the only thing that motivates this hulking, floating, living curse?

"What, so they can see it disappear on the cameras? No one knows you exist, fool. They're sure I'm delusional."

Probably. Well, there's apples, boredom, and the possibility of entertainment.

"I don't care." Ryuk shrugs.

"I'll get you apples if you help me get out."

"Nope." He seems amused. What sick thoughts are going through his head?

I shall enlighten you.

Have you noticed that Light is strangely out of character? Our resident sadist, Ryuk, has noted this as well. He's quite fascinated by the effect desperation has on a human's way of thinking.

He's also entirely apathetic to it. (At this point, you might also choose to note that I don't particularly like Ryuk, and I don't think he shoulders enough blame for the incidents caused by the Death Note. A spectator instead of a player in the game. But look at it this way, if you please. He was the instigator. It all happened because he was bored enough to interfere with humans.)

Light grinds his teeth and glares at the clock down the hall through the thick iron bars. He has 14 days, 3 minutes, and 37 seconds to convince this satirical, sadistic shinigami to save his life.

He's Light Yagami. He can definitely do it, right?

Let's all take a moment of mocking, hysterical laughter.

X X X X X X X X X X X

L squats on the couch, consuming confectionaries like a vacuum for sugar. His eyes are glued to the television screen.

His name is already in the book, along with Watari's, Albier's, and Wedy's.

The reason he survived? He wrote his own name in the death note before Rem could. If someone's name is written in the death note twice, only the first death takes place, even if it's further away in the future than the second death. Writing someone's name in the Death Note sets their lifespan in stone.

It was too late for everyone else. The colossal failure made him very depressed. He didn't figure it out fast enough to win. He knows the very moment he will die. Enough time to be sure that the Kira case is completely closed. After such a failure, and being a sore loser, he lost the will to live for about… 10 minutes. A record for him.

His imminent doom doesn't weigh very heavily on his mind.

What does is the fact that he's a loser. He didn't win the best intellectual challenge he had ever encountered. So for the past 3 days, L has been sulking, eating sugar, and setting his affairs in order to die.

He was feeling rather depressed 10 minutes ago as well, but this horrific and singular event has pushed all of those things down on his list of importance.

A mass murder. 53 people dead in the middle of the day, surrounded by witnesses, no killers spotted, no weapons identified, nothing. And it all happened in the space of 10 seconds.

The crime scene is in a mall in North America. A small one, as American malls go. The large, indoor area spacious and simple. There are three fountains in it, the floor was of large sheets of marble tile. Benches against the walls and the display windows of the stores. The area has 12 stores, six on each side, all the same size. The ceiling is high, and there is a skylight to provide lighting during the day instead bright ceiling lights. No one in the stores was killed. All the fatalities happened in the hall. There, people were slaughtered without discretion. The deaths were caused by broken necks and fatal bodily damage, but there's next to no blood at the scene of the crime.

There were 4 witnesses, only four people standing in that hall, outside a store, that lived. They appear to be random survivors.

No entrances or exits were disturbed.

The only thing that was witnessed during the attack besides people dropping like stones were random, flashing illusions of color and brightness.

It's completely illogical and totally impossible.

Challenge Accepted.

There was certainly more than one thing causing the death. The people seem to drop randomly, but when L slows down the video until the events are shown 8 times slower, it's clear that there seems to be an order to which the victims are falling over.

There are three. Three things are killing the victims, attacking whichever one happens to be close to it at that point. L can't see the things, they're moving so fast that not even a blur is captured in most places. He can merely tell where they are, or where they were instants before, by the trail of death they leave. The illusions, when they appear, are directly followed by the trail of the destruction. The illusions are the things, moving at speeds too fast to be captured on a camera. The illusions are the things causing the fatalities. Or so it appears.

98 percent chance that the killers have supernatural methods.

However, this is definitely a new method. Not a Death Note. He swallows a bite of cake, restarting the film. He's trying to tell what the things are, whether they are solid or something else entirely. He hacked into the FBI files and downloaded all their information concerning the case. They're clueless.

The authorities would undoubtedly like L a great deal less if they knew just how often he used their files like they belonged to him, and how often he blatantly disregards the words 'confidential' and 'classified'.

They would probably like L a great deal less if they knew anything more about him then they already do. And they already don't like him all that much, actually.

But he's the world's most brilliant detective; they can shut up and deal with him.

From crime scene photos, it appears that the methods of killing mimic martial art.

The weapons are at least somewhat humanoid, he determines that from looking at the crime scene photos. Superhumans? Human weapons? Such is science fiction, but the Kira case certainly affirmed the existence of the supernatural.

Why wouldn't much blood be spilled?

The killers didn't want blood everywhere, the victims were killed specifically in ways that wouldn't spill blood, even when it would've been more convenient and horrifying to make a bloody mess. Blood most certainly has an effect on the orchestrator and/or the means of slaughter, either physically or mentally. The spilling of it is kept to a minimum.

There are much better targets for terrorism than a mall, and an attack on a small place such as a mall isn't as difficult to cover up. Not an act of terror then, as bad and threatening as it was, it could have easily been much more gruesome.

What was this person, this killer trying to achieve by slaughtering innocents? It's a little over the top for a cover-up of a crime, it's not an act of terrorism… therefore this is not an act against the US government and the perpetrator was not trying to get the attention of the US government.

L scratches his foot with his toes and sucks on his fork, finished with his cake. When you have no leads, start working with logic.

They definitely wanted to get someone's attention; one does not simply slaughter innocents for no reason whatsoever. And they left clues unattainable through witness, the patterns of the killing weapons, through the security cameras which would have been easy to destroy. So they do want someone on this case.

The government seems to be of secondary importance to the perpetrator. The attack was actually not about them.

Who is this crime supposed to provoke? That's the question for now.

L consults a list picks up his phone to make a crucial call. He has to do it himself when Watari is asleep.

"Hello?" His states monotonously. "Please send ten of every desert on the menu to room 203. Leave it outside the door."

There's some response of shock on the other line.

"Yes, I happen to be aware of the cost, it's conveniently displayed on this menu listing all the items you have for purchase, sir."

X X X X X X X X X X

She sits, still a frozen figure on the couch. The cushions sag, the room smells of mildew and dirt. She's short; her feet don't quite reach the ground. The decrepit basement they've been living in is nothing fancy, it doesn't have to be. It doesn't matter, so long as it serves its purpose. Place to hide during the day.

Amari has been pacing for 2 days straight, springing back and forth across the room in mere instants, and then freezing, and pacing at paces fluctuating from as slow as human to as fast as sprinting. She can't stay still, unlike the one on the couch.

She's tall, with a narrow face and long fingers. Her eyes are narrow, but not hostile. Her jet-black hair is wavy, increasingly wavy as it progresses down her back, until it becomes wild, loose curls as it reaches her knees. It's surprisingly untangled, considering Amari doesn't do anything to maintain it. She looks to be in her mid to late twenties.

She has someone on her mind again.

Already. Usually there's at least a few years between Amari's spells of compulsion, usually a century or two, and Quinn is newborn.

Right now, Amari is in the stage where she's feeling the urge, but has no idea who is going to fulfill it this time. Nothing about them. Therefore, she's distressed. It's clear from her body language.

Quinn has been playing a videogame on his DS, sitting cross-legged on the rickety, rotting wooden table in the disgusting, dirty kitchenette.

Normally, they don't keep Amari's newborns. But this one isn't exactly Amari's, this one is Azia's. Amari hadn't had an urge as strong as the one she got from Quinn since Jane and Alec, or Azia herself.

Amari's urge disappears the moment she bites the human, so she usually just abandons them to change instants after biting them with a note for explanation. When she doesn't kill them. It's misery when she does, she's depressed for years, sometimes until she gets a new compulsion.

With Quinn, Azia did a little research. And a little spying. And she decided she wanted him. So she changed him herself and she took him.

Amari really didn't care. Nor did she mind when Quinn joined their little coven.

She doesn't care, as long as the human is bitten and the mind-possessing urge is satisfied. Azia takes more interest in her gift than she does, she enjoys tracking the humans, changing the humans, waiting to find out what their gifts will be.

Azia is also the unofficial coven leader, because Amari is usually too zoned out to make or care about any relevant decisions. Amari isn't a very down-to-earth person, she cares more for what's happening inside her mind more than anything around her.

And Quinn is a newborn. And has… Quinn moments.

Quinn snaps the thing shut and drops it on the table as he leaps off it. He lands lightly on the couch next to Azia. He has a very spicy, slightly sweet smell, and red eyes that glow with the human blood that lingers in his body. He's only a few months old.

"Hey Azi." Quinn has an infectious personality. He's the guy that all of the girls fangirl over in school because he's so cool and handsome and funny and nice and goofy and sweet and easygoing. And also oblivious to his charm, and the way he affects people. Social guy who gets along with everyone. He could've had his little world wrapped around his fingers, but he was a little laid back for manipulation.

Until now, of course. The way he can affect people is near impossible to ignore.

"Quinn." She answers formally. Azia isn't very social. Poor Quinn, antsy newborn stuck in the basement with two antisocial vampires.

"You wanna go hunt?"

"No."

"I found the best spot. I'll show it to you."

"No. I don't need to. Go yourself if you must."

"What, do you not like blood all the sudden?" He asks jokingly.

"Have some respect for human life, Quinn." Azia snaps.

He would blush if he could at being chastised. Quinn is 15, but sometimes he seems much, much younger. "Sorry."

She doesn't reply, just nods, opens a book and starts reading silently. Her pile is diminishing, she reads too fast.

Quinn is wishing she would read aloud. She read aloud to him frequently when he was human, but she's only done so a few times since his change. He's not going to ask her to though, that's a little too childish. So he just leans over her shoulder to watch the book.

Of all the people Quinn has met, he has the most complicated relationship with Azia. Quinn is a magnet for people. He's the one everyone wants to hang out with, the one who is part of every social group, all inclusive, first to invite the new person over.

He's met shy people before, who remained quiet and reserved, but over time, they all warm up to everyone, get comfortable, start coming out of their shells without him pulling them out.

But Amari and Azia… they haven't. Amari has addressed him exactly once over the course of the past 3 months, and usually completely ignores him whenever he says anything to her. Azia… is someone he wants attention from more than he's ever wanted attention from anyone else. They're exact opposites, and that's very interesting.

In the hospital, everyone was in mourning for him, like they were determined to have his funeral before he actually died. Azia came at night, after the hospital was closed. She didn't tell him how sorry she was, how terrible it was, anything like that.

Have you ever met someone you become close friends with instantly? One that you could trust with your life within moments of meeting? Your personalities just click like two puzzle pieces, just the way they are. Perfect fit.

The occurrence is a rare one.

It's also what happened between human Quinn and Azia.

Now, since he changed, she seems even less interested in him than before, and that bothers him. Azia spent more time focused on him when he was just a human dying in a hospital. She used to read to him and play board games with him and sing him to sleep in that white room, in the darkest hours of the night.

Not anymore. It's like she doesn't even like him anymore. The sudden shift doesn't make sense. It's like she's a completely different person.

Amari paces. The sun sets. Azia clicks her lighter on and off, all through the night. The pile of unread books becomes the pile of read books. Not a word is said. The sun rises, the sun sets again.

Just as Azia is shutting the last page of the last book, Amari freezes.

She takes a shaky breath. "Azi."

They both look up.

"I have to change this human." She realizes.

It's a conclusion, a revelation. As if they didn't know all along.

"Eureka!" Quinn shouts, clapping his hands together.

Amari stares at him like he has two heads.

Then she slowly turns away from him, to the east, pivoting on her toes. "Japan…" She murmurs. She whirls back around. "We have to go now. His time is short… their time is short, both of them."

"Their's… two." Azia asks, raising her eyebrows.

"Let's go." Amari says, getting up and striding at a quick pace.

Azia leaps off the couch and falls in behind her. "Quinn, come." She orders.

Quinn gets up and follows. "So we're just leaving. To go to Japan."

"Yes."

Quinn shrugs. "Cool."

X X X X X X X X X X

A random note, regarding the relationships of the Phantom Coven.

(Not exactly essential to the plotline, but you'll get more out of the story if you read it)

Let's get this out of the way. Azia and Quinn are not romantically inclined in any way, shape, or form. It would be sick if they were.

And yes, they are all friends, Azia and Amari are just sociopaths. Amari is disconnected, and Quinn does have an effect on Azia, when Azia meets another vampire her typical reaction is to death glare at them until they flee while flicking her lighter on and off. She also refuses to engage in any conversation but snarling, growling, and rude, sarcastic, cynical banter that makes everyone want to stay away from her.

Only half the things she says to Quinn are cynical and sarcastic, and she doesn't leave the room the moment he walks in, a feat that was only achieved by Amari before he showed up.

Azia tends to act like she utterly despises anyone that doesn't immediately provoke her interest, because frankly, she doesn't like being around uninteresting people.

So in reality, she finds Quinn a very interesting person to analyze and likes him… and doesn't take him for granted as much as it seems. Azia is not a person you can interpret normally, therefore I've interrupted the story (bad author! Go lie down!) for the sake of this explanation, to avoid becoming an author that makes you go 'O.o I don't get these characters.'

Of course, Amari couldn't care less if Quinn was present or not, because half the time she doesn't notice that he exists. #oblivious

Anyway, let's visit L, because he's awesome.

X X X X X X X X X X

Four days later

X X X X X

Another attack. Yesterday. 73 dead, 12 seconds. Midday, the illusions attacked a small-town amusement park.

Then they disappeared, without a trace, as before.

L gnaws on his thumb.

Judging from the crime scene photos though, these were three different weapons, none of the marks are the same size, they were made by 3 new sets of hands.

So now there are six.

L stations himself in front of a computer. Deduction is essential to being a detective, but a lot of it is research. That's what encourages his insomnia, all those hours of sorting through information. His new Watari has already gotten him all the information she could on the incident.

She's competent, she's very good for what he needs in the way of diplomatic relations. But she's not Wammy. Rena, Wammy's granddaughter and Watari's successor is already asleep, it's about 2 am.

He starts accounting for every person in the park. Their car, their ticket purchase, who they were with, if they lived.

Everything is checking out. He's beginning to consider that these superweapons don't use technology in order to make it harder for them to be tracked.

But no attack is truly without evidence, a way to trace it back.

An all-nighter is required, yet again. Cake shall be necessary.

X X X X X X X X X X

A/N: READ DIS.

I'll be updating pretty fast, at least in the beginning, because I actually wrote about forty pages of this story in a violent fit of obsessive writing disorder, I just have to edit them because everything I write has this terrible tendency to turn out more crappy than I intend it to be =-=''''

I'm sorry if I don't have L's character quite right, it's hard to get in his head and he's like, a billion times smarter than Rix will ever be TT-TT So all my intelligent deduction from him is common sense made to sound smart with big words.

The Volturi will come into the story later, I think it will be quite fun to watch L outsmart them all, and Amari and Azia annoy the heck out of them (insert trollfaced troll) I also have plans to make the Cullens and L's successors (or at least Near) get involved.

To be cliché, review, flame, praise, critique, suggest, anything goes, don't be afraid to be obnoxious or sound arrogant or offend me. I want to know what people think about the series, getting someone else's attention is what makes it worth it for me as the totally amateur author I am.

Rixchan is just happy to get any reaction at all, or any sign that someone is reading this, even. ^u^

Oh, and especially suggest. I'm about 40 pages into this story, but I have a slight writers block (knows what's going to happen, is too lazy to write it for lack of knowing how to make it interesting) so anything you want to see, (if anyone is reading this) I'll try to take it into consideration.

The only things I don't do are explicit romance and yaoi, and probably some other stuff I'm forgetting.

Rixchan apologizes for her incredibly long and most likely impossibly boring authors note. It wasn't exactly necessary for you to read it all, (I lied, Rixchan is a liar if you haven't noticed)

Finally, the cake is not a lie. I don't care what portal said, if they said the cake was a lie they're totally wrong and doing it wrong.

~Thankschu, sincerely from your Rix~


	2. Chapter 2

The three immortals survey the detention center from a distance.

"He's here." Amari says distantly.

"In a prison." Quinn states skeptically.

Azia pulls out a computer. "Just let me fix the security problems here." She says, starting to hack the prison firewall.

"And then I suppose you want me to just walk in there and convince them to let you wander around and kidnap an inmate?" Quinn asks sarcastically.

"Actually, I want you to go back to the apartment so you don't kill everyone."

X X X X X X X X X X

Dawn is breaking when he comes across a rental car. He hacks into the database of the rental place to discover it was leased to a Nina Brown. Nina Brown. There was no Nina Brown on the list of people who purchased tickets, or on the list of people accounted for in the park. This alone means nothing, someone else could've paid or she paid in cash. Her car was there, so she didn't leave before the attack. It's a possibility he has something here. He continues to research. Nina Brown has no medical records. Nor does she have a social security number. No bank accounts, she also paid for the rental with cash. But she does have a driver's license, she had to in order to rent the car.

Then he stumbles onto her photograph, searching for her driver's license.

Nina Brown has dark chocolate hair and tan skin. Her eyes are so dark they look almost black.

He has something. No one's face is perfectly symmetrical or that unnaturally beautiful. There is something about that person that just doesn't look human.

Super human. One out of three. But it's likely they drove together. He checks for traces of hacking, and sure enough they're there. When he tries to find the computer responsible though, he gets nothing. It must have been destroyed.

He'll have to keep an eye on this and see if anyone tries to delete it.

So the weapons… look extremely humanoid. They look exactly like humans, except for being insanely beautiful. And they look different in the sun... the car had dark windows, and all the attackers seem to light up in the sun.

Skin reactive to the sun, making them light up. Affected by blood. Amazing speed and strength. Inhumanly beautiful.

Rena stumbles into the main room of the suite they've been in. They've been here for only a day, they moved yesterday. "Mornin, L." The girl has long, brown hair back in a messy braid from sleeping. She's in her late teens, sweats, and an anime T-shirt.

"Good Morning, Rena." L replies.

She goes right to the coffee maker.

"Please arrange to move to America as soon as possible."

"Mmhmm."

"Thank you." He says, snapping his laptop shut. After spending most of the night crouched on the kitchen chair of the suite, he could use the chance to stretch his legs.

"Should I bring you coffee with a ridiculous amount of sugar?" She calls after him.

He gives a nod and leaves.

Who could be behind such unique events? The superhumans… the odds of this being organized by one person are very low. The organization has resources unknown to humans… but they don't seem very interested in people at all, other than killing them.

There must be another party in this game. The second party… they are the ones the attacks are aimed at. And because the attacks are not as bad as they could be, the other party must already know of the potential power of these superhumans. The purpose of the attacks seems to be simply to flaunt the existence of these super humans.

There is a high chance that the other party already knows the nature of these super humans, including the fact that they light up in the sun, or they would not be the targeted party. The targeted party must know they are being targeted, the nature of the attacks was to provoke, and no one has taken responsibility or announced a target. Therefore the targeted party has knowledge of the first organization. The first organization doesn't have to explain because the ones they want to know already know.

Therefore, the first organization expects a reaction from the second party, be it hostile of approving.

The second attack may very well be a reaction by the second party. A shoutout. We have seen your attack, we are responding with a similar one to indicate alliance.

Or the first organization is expecting retaliation from the second party, who would oppose their actions, the slaughter of innocents. If the second party has not already retaliated, they will begin to do so soon, because this is the second attack. Any warnings that have been given have been disregarded. If there is no evidence of revenge, then that means that the second party wishes to remain as secretive as possible.

The second party must be a worthy opponent for the organization. These are provocative attacks, therefore the fight is not already won. If the fight was over, the attacks would be worse, terror attacks, to intimidate an already weak opponent and flaunt victory. They aren't right now because they only want the attention of the second party, they want everyone else uninvolved as much as possible, so they must have bigger problems, namely the second party.

Therefore, there is a possibility that the second party has superhumans. They would be able to identify the other superhumans as well as possess formidable power next to the first organization.

L will have to watch this situation carefully.

Rena comes in with a cup of coffee for him, along with a big bowl of sugar. He takes a cube and puts it directly in his mouth.

She starts setting up a computer to contact the United States with. "I booked a room in a New York City hotel. I'll fly you there as soon as you're ready. I made arrangements to have our arrival covered up, of course."

"Good. Pack for me, please." He says monotonously. By packing, that means taking everything they absolutely will need and getting rid of everything else. Most of L's technology is disposable, he gets new computers and cell phones, etcetera often to make himself harder to trace and to prevent the inconvenience of dragging things around. He does have way too much money to spend, after all.

He crams as many sugar cubes as will fit into the coffee and stirs the disintegrating bricks, pinching his spoon.

Superhumans. That is the next thing L has to analyze.

It seems impossible for one to move the way they do. It seems impossible for machines to move with such impossible speed as well.

Thus the likelihood that these are supernatural creatures.

This is an entirely new species. What are their origins? Why do they wish to make their existence known to man in such a disturbing manner?

No, that's the wrong question, people don't matter to them. People are insignificant to what they intend to achieve, their main goal is the second party.

So is this species acting in its own interests, or is a human or multiple humans behind it? That will give him more of an idea of motive.

He delicately picks up the cup and takes a sip of the sugary sludge.

He needs to investigate further. And he needs to reanalyze the physical evidence for more clues, he only took a glance at it, absorbed with the hours of hacking it to recover Nina Brown's information.

X X X X X X X X X X

Hours later

X X X X X

At the present moment

L is on a plane, almost to an airport in America.

Quinn is confined to the top floor of a 2-floor apartment, sulking at being left behind in spite of the fact that he would kill every human he came within a 50 foot radius of.

In Forks, Washington, certain immortals are metaphorically unable to sleep over the passing events.

In Voltera, Italy, a certain fool in charge is in a particularly bad mood due to the suicide of three vampires before he had the pleasure of making their acquaintance.

Light Yagami remains in his cell. The idiot has made absolutely no progress with his plot to convince Ryuk to give him his only remaining Death Note. Perhaps he isn't as charming as he thinks.

What was Misa thinking when she decided to fall for him?

Ah, that's right. Our dear Misa can be a bit of an airhead at times.

X X X X X

L lumbers into the plane cabin. As much as he dislikes sleep, he does get a few hours irregularly, for the sake of being able to function. Sugar can make up for the rest.

He retrieves a strawberry shortcake from the fridge and sits down to work on his new case, opening the laptop Rena has left open for him.

His eyes widen.

"L!" Rena bursts into the cabin. "The prison-

She only has to look at his frozen, shocked face to realize that he already knows.

"That Light Yagami and Misa Amane are being held at has had its security system hacked. Are the authorities aware that their computer system has been compromised?" he deadpans, but his monotone is tight. His hands tremble where they grip his knees. Yagami and Amane must not escape! He refuses to die in vain! And when he thought it was finally over! He'll have to work both cases at once… L snarls in his head. How did he not foresee this? He's been watching the prison situation very closely, why didn't he pick up any clues? There must have been signs!

He's been outwitted again!

"I just alerted them anonymously. They'll take the tip seriously because I went through their firewalls, the message should have just popped up on the screen of the Police Chief and the Prison Administrator. The hack shouldn't be traceable."

He nods, fingers flying over the keyboard, desperately trying to get the computer that's now controlling the system.

His screen goes black, his eyes go wider. The firewalls are like nothing he's ever seen before.

L nearly puts his fist through the computer, but manages to retain enough logic to refrain.

"What do you want me to do?"

L takes calming bite of cake, chews without gnashing his teeth, and swallows without choking. Of all the times to fall asleep. He never sleeps. The odds of his body finally demanding some at the exact moments before the prison holding Kira and the second Kira happen to be in? Minimal. Infinitely, infuriatingly minimal. "The Japanese police should inform us of the situation shortly. Bring me several more computers, please."

X X X At the same time the aforementioned events are transpiring X X X

The corridor is littered with the bodies of guards. Knockout gas, Azia keeps some on hand. They will be unconscious long enough for the vampires to drag out the writhing, changing human and make an escape.

Amari has been dragging Azia through the prison by her wrist while Azia vainly tries to hold and use her laptop at the same time with one hand.

It's a good thing that they put the one they needed to get to in solitary confinement, it would have been rather inconvenient for a possessed Amari and a highly distracted Azia to enter all the cells and knock out all the prisoners.

And bonus, the cell is airtight! The gas has dissipated, they'll get to meet the human.

"He's here." Amari breathes.

Azia hits a quick sequence of keys on her laptop and the door starts to unlock.

The prisoner speaks before the door has even opened. Japanese. Shaky, high pitched voice. "[G- Guard-san? Is that you? Have- have you come to let MisaMisa go?]"

"She." Azia corrects. The scent rushes into her mouth and scalds her throat.

And y'all thought they were coming for Light, didn'tcha?

A/N: I apologize if this chapter was confusing, I was far too lazy to edit it carefully. #appalling# If there's anything terribly wrong with it, tell me and I'll try to fix it (probably). I don't think it really matters, no one is reading this anyway and I don't think anyone would want to beta-read this TT-TT

I'll force my dear fools to do it, once I get a chance. ^^

Today Rix shall be attempting to figure out how to make fanfiction polls work, (everyone should be concerned at this point, this is coming from the girl who can't work itunes e.e'') in case someone feels like humoring to me, but mostly because I'm bored at the present moment. Yeah, le motivation de la Rix: boredom.

I might also post another chapter, because this one was short for the sake of making the story flow smoothly.

Don't you hate it when authors blather about themselves like it matters to you? *smirks*

=-= Insert cliché line about how I'm on my knees begging you to review, add forgotten disclaimers (IDNODN, IDNOT), blah blah blah blah blah...

Fankschu for readin, awl chu pplz! *crickets*

;~; *instant moodswing* OwO

~Your Rix


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Rix not has own Death Note. Not has own Twilight either.

"Look... Azi… it's… cute." Amari realizes, eyes wide.

The blonde girl stares at them in shock. "[Did you come to save MisaMisa?]"

"[If you choose to see it like that.]" Azia shrugs, switching to flawless Japanese.

She jumps up at once and jumps on Amari. "[Yay! MisaMisa knew someone would come to save her! Thankyouthankyouthankyou!]" She squeals. "[Misa-chan loves you!]"

Amari reaches up and starts petting Misa's hair, seemingly fascinated with the limp, greasy mess.

"[Aw, don't touch Misa's hair. It's all yucky!]"

"[Let's go.]" Azia says. "[They'll notice something is wrong soon.]" She rented a 2 floor apartment for the process. Keep newborn Quinn away from the human. He'd kill her mid-transformation, and then she'd have to deal with a depressed Amari, which due to Amari's peculiar tendencies, is misery for everyone.

"[Um… Rescuer-san… why are you still petting Misa-chan's hair?]"

"[She's a very unique person, Misa-san.]" Azia deadpans. "[Now come, they will notice that I've taken the security system soon.]"

"[Okay~!]" Misa agrees happily, leaping off Amari, who looks rather displeased at Misa's hair moving out of her reach. "[C'mon, Rescuer-san! We have to rescue Light-kun! When he sees that Misa saved him, he'll definitely love her forever!]" She says excitedly.

"[Light-kun?]" Azia inquires politely.

"[You didn't come to save Misa and Light because they're Kira?]"

"[I have no idea what you're talking about, actually.]" Azia says. "[Nothing in your human life matters to us.]"

"[What? Does that mean that you aren't going to save Light-kun?]" Misa is immediately hysterical. "[You have to save Light-kun! Light-kun is MisaMisa's true love!]"

"[None of that matters now. Come with us, please.]" This human seems to be one that has a talent for wasting time…

"[No!]" The girl shouts, tears in her eyes. "[Misa-chan isn't going without her Light! MisaMisa doesn't want to live without her Light-kun! Light saved MisaMisa's life, and Misa loves him with all her heart! Light is Misa's life, and Misa isn't letting you rescue her unless you rescue Light too!]"

Interesting. It's rare to find a human that values another over her own life.

The girl breaks down into hysterics, falling to her knees. "[P-please… please save Misa and her Light… It's so bad here… Misa wants to go home… Misa wants her Light-kun…]" Her breath is coming in gasps, she's hyperventilating when she's not wailing. Her eyes are squeezed shut, like leaking dams that can't hold back the flood.

Amari slowly reaches for the girl's hair with a blank, mildly interested expression.

"[Don't touch MisaMisa's hair, Weirdo!]" She shrieks, unsuccessfully slapping Amari's hand away.

Amari withdraws it herself, a mildly confused expression on her face. "[Hair…]" She says unhappily, staring at her hand.

Azia feels like hitting her head on something. "[If we see if we can find this Light-san, will you stop sobbing?]" She asks with a sigh. Such a pushover for older people… especially stupid ones. Amari, Quinn, and now Misa. Well, she's genuinely fond of Quinn, when he's not flooding her with annoyance… She's just a little over-exposed to him now that he's living with them.

"[Y-you'll save Light?]" She says, gasping.

"[Provided you stop that insufferable sobbing.]" Sometimes, Azia wishes people that appear older than her would be more mature than her.

"[O-okay. Misa will stop crying if you save Light.]"

Azia is already searching for him in the prison database. "[Found him. Let's go.]" She announces, turning and walking down the corridor of knocked-out guards.

Misa gets up and wipes her tears, taking some deep breaths. "[Okay! Let's go save Light-kun! He'll love Misa forever and ever! Yay! Go MisaMisa! C'mon, Weirdo-san!]" She calls, running after Azia.

_Well, that was a fast recovery._ Azia thinks.

Amari follows, still looking rather dejected after Misa's outburst.

Azia narrows her eyes as she orders all the guards in the section Light Yagami is being held to another. If they don't suspect anything already, they will very soon. Time is running out.

She taps the keys to open the cell.

"[Light!]" Misa cries, running for the opening cell.

"[Misa?]"

"[Light! MisaMisa came to save you! Oh, Light, I missed you so much, and I was so scared, but now it's all going to be okay!]" She jumps on him and hugs him too.

"[Well, this is an unexpected turn of events.]" Ryuk says, laughing.

"[Let's get out before you say that, Misa.]" Light says, awkwardly trying to free himself from Misa's deathgrip without directly pushing her away.

"[I helped you again, didn't I Light?]" Misa gushes.

"[Yes, thank you Misa. I love you.]" He says drones dutifully.

"[Misa loves Light-kun too.]"

Ryuk continues to laugh. "[And I thought it was over. Humans are so interesting. And non-humans too.]"

"[My name is Azia, pleasurous to make you acquaintance. That's Amari.]" She says, gesturing toward the watching vampire. Her voice is on the line between a song and a monotone, as usual.

"[Oh, you can see me?]" She's awfully calm for a… whatever she is.

"[Why yes, I believe I can.]" Ask a stupid question, expect a stupid answer.

"[Non-humans?]" Light inquires, still trapped in Misa's loving embrace.

"[I can't see their names or their lifespans.]"

"[Meaning…]" Light asks in disbelief.

"[They're dead.]" Ryuk says bluntly.

"[And you are?]" Azia inquires monotonously.

"[Ryuk. I'm a shinigami.]"

"[Noting the fact that I have no heartbeat, I'd imagine you might have some difficulties when attempting to kill me.]"

Amari slowly approaches him, and then takes him arm and slowly starts climbing up on him. Ryuk tries to shake her off, but it doesn't work all that well. "[Uh, what is she doing?]" He asks, slightly unnerved as Amari starts petting his hair.

"Mmm…" Amari says distantly, hanging off Ryuk's back and burying her face in his hair.

"[Uh… get off me…]" Ryuk requests.

Light is smirking at his discomfort. But he isn't one to be smug, with Misa hanging off him.

"[But Reaper-san makes a lovely fooltool for Amari…]" Amari says dreamily, continuing to play with his hair.

Ryuk is now seriously creeped out. He's never had his personal space violated by the undead, I suppose.

"[Come, we must leave before-

Sirens start blaring, and they barely drag the humans out of the cell before it shuts.

Red lights are flashing. Misa is hugging Light to death. Amari has climbed onto the reapers shoulders, and seems to be intent on touching the ceiling via stepping on his head. Ryuk is trying and failing to shake the vampire off.

This didn't exactly go as planned, did it?

X X X X X X X X X X

The only sound is the clicking of fingers on keyboards. The insistent clacking and the alarm radiating from both of the individuals makes the tension in the plane cabin near maddening.

Rena's phone rings on the table, L snatches it before she can move and dangles it to his ear, lone hand still racing over the keyboard.

"[Watari?]"

Soichiro Yagami.

"[This is L.]"

Silence.

That means bad news.

"[Both Amane Misa and Yagami Light are not in their cells.]"

L's hand tightens to a fist.

"[We're working to recapture them now.]" He says.

L waits for more.

"[The prison is compromised. All the cameras were shut off for the escape. We have no idea what happened or where they are.]" Soichiro says. His voice shakes slightly.

This must be earthshakingly traumatic for him. As if it wasn't hard enough to have a son that was guilty of so many murders.

"[I'm sorry, L.]"

"[I'm sorry too, Yagami-san.]" L replies. That they'll have to go through this whole mess again. That he failed.

"[On behalf of the police, I'd like to ask you to assist us in this case.]" Yagami says. His voice is heavy with the events, but it has the slightest undercurrent of hope.

"[I will see the Kira case through until its end.]"

Two cases. Yagami is free. L has already promised to take the American murder case, he's not one to go back on his word. His time is running out.

For a moment, he feels overwhelmed and depressed again.

"[I thought L was going to take the American mass-murder case.]" Soichiro says.

"[I am.]"

"[How…

"[I will operate differently this time. I will advise you through Watari and computer messages.]"

"[Would you be willing to put the mass-murder case on hold?]"

He considers it for a moment. No, his days are numbered. He can't procrastinate.

"[I do not abandon cases, Yagami-san. Send me the files at once.]" Another admission of defeat. He actually took another case. Never had he seriously considered the possibility of Light's escape, after he was put in the most well-secured prison in Japan.

"[L, are you positive that you will be able to work both cases at once?]"

"[L does not lose.]" He flips the phone shut.

Then the feeling disappears. He likes the challenge. He lives for the pressure. Yes, he's depressed that Yagami is free, but he anticipates working on both cases at once. And the time limit.

Challenge Accepted. "Rena, contact Roger Ruvie. He will act as Watari in Japan. You will be Watari in America." L decides.

Rena nods.

L clutches his knees. He's managed to identify the computer that hacked in, but the firewalls are impossible and who knows when it will be destroyed? No, there's a chance that they don't expect anyone to break through the firewalls and intend to keep the computer.

He should quickly review the information and then start there.

X X X X X X X X X X

"[So you're going to turn MisaMisa into a vampire?]" The blonde asks, eyes wide. Her hair is wet and tangled from using the apartment's shower. She's in some of Amari's clothing which hangs on her rather limply.

The two humans sit on the edge of the ramshackle, sheetless king sized bed in the apartment. Azia is on a metal folding chair, facing them. She has a peculiar way of sitting. She sits perched on the back of the chair with her feet on the gray, metal seat. Her chin is cupped in her palm and her elbow is on her thigh, leaning forward, motionless. She has a black backpack on her back.

"[That is our intention.]" Azia answers with a shrug. The air is scalding her throat, thick with the scent of the humans.

Amari is still hanging off Ryuk, seeming to be very pleased with her new floating 'fooltool'. She's latched onto him like a koala to its mother, legs around his waist, feet locked at his belly. Her arms dangle limply over his shoulders. Motionless.

Ryuk has given up on getting her off of him, she's locked around him like a giant stone weight. He's just doing his best to ignore the fact that she's braided all his hair into neat, fine little braids.

"[What about me?]" Yagami asks.

"[Well, we can change you or kill you.]" Azia says bluntly.

"[No killing Light-kun, Baldie-chan!]" Misa cries, outraged.

"[My name is Azia.]"

"[Why do you have no hair?]"

"[Because it doesn't grow on my head.]"

"[It's okay, Misa-chan can make you look super-cute anyways!]" She says, winking.

"[Um, no thank you.]" She says, moving along. "[It's your choice, Light-san. None of us care if you're a human or a vampire. We came for Misa, and the only reason you're here is because Misa insisted we save you too.]"

"[MisaMisa saved her Light! Go MisaMisa!]" She cheers.

Amari finally releases Ryuk in favor of moving to the bed, to sit behind Misa.

"[Uh… Weirdo-san, why are you braiding MisaMisa's hair?]"

"[Why did you come for Misa?]" Light asks.

"[Mmm… pet…]" Amari says dreamily, fiddling with Misa's blonde locks.

"[Amari wanted to.]" Azia explains.

"[I think I should like to keep this one…]" Amari says distantly.

Misa gives Amari a weird look, pulling away. "[MisaMisa doesn't date girls. And she's already with Light-kun.]"

"[She's not hitting on you, Misa.]" Azia says bluntly. "[She doesn't communicate normally, she doesn't really like communicating normally. She actually doesn't take a lot of interest in other people. And I'm pretty sure she had a male mate at one time.]"

"[Mate?]"

"[Romantic partner. Forever.]" Azia says.

"[Light and MisaMisa are mates!]"

"[No we're not.]" Light contradicts.

"[What?]" She shrieks.

"[We're still humans.]"

"[Oh. Okay then~. Light-kun is so smart! Weirdo-chan! Let's be friends! Misa-chan will make you look cute too!]" Misa turns around and hugs her, and then goes back to clinging to Light.

Amari is too mesmerized by dissecting a knot in Misa's hair strand by strand to respond.

"[Why did you come for Misa?]" Light asks.

"[I'll explain everything to you so you can make a decision.]" Azia says. "[Just listen first, please.]"

"[Very well, Azia-san.]" He says, crossing his legs.

"[Light, I'm gonna go get some apples.]" Ryuk says, disappearing through the wall.

"[Good day, Shinigami-san.]" Azia replies. "[Misa, pay attention as well. This is important.]"

"[Okay~!]" Misa responds.

"[I'll start with the basics of being a vampire.]" She says. "[A vampire is an undead creature. We do not age. We're immune to all sickness, our heart doesn't beat, we don't have to breathe. We don't die naturally. You shoot me, the bullet will bounce off. The only thing strong enough to kill a vampire is another vampire. Our bodies are hard.]"

Light has adopted an interested expression.

"[They have speed and strength beyond anything a human can imagine.]"

"[I resent you knocking us out during the escape.]" Light says. "[I would have been interested in seeing that.]" The humans showered, and now light is in jeans and a t-shirt that are not his own. They smell of cinnamon and are slightly small, but they suffice.

She nods and continues. "[Vampires are unusually beautiful as well. Humans find us alluring. It's all part of our position as the Apex predator. Our senses are far superior to that of a human as well.]"

"[You hunt humans and kill them to drink their blood.]" Light states.

Misa gasps.

"[Yes. Well actually, we kill them by drinking their blood.]" She confirms. "[It takes years of practicing self-control for a vampire to be in the same room as humans without slaughtering them all. It makes my throat feel like it's on fire to be sitting here having this conversation with you.]"

"[So most humans you come across, you kill.]" Light asks.

"[That is correct. I try not to do it more than I have to. I respect your species, even though I happen to be a predator.]"

"[You have no problems killing people.]" Light asks calmly.

"[It's like you mortals killing an animal for consumption to me. I do it as necessary, I don't kill humans without reason, like you wouldn't kill a sheep or a cow unless you needed to eat them.]" She answers.

"[Misa-chan just goes to the supermarket…]" Misa objects.

Light takes this in. "[So you are a superior race. You see me as an animal.]"

"[If you choose to interpret it like that. Some humans are more vampire-like, respectable, than others in my opinion.]"

"[Am I one of them?]"

"[I think you're already thinking almost like a vampire, mortal. It makes me wonder how you'll think if you make the change.]"

"[Are vampires killable?]" Light asks.

She smirks. "[That's an interesting question from a mortal.]"

"[Is it possible?]" he insists.

"[Tear them apart and burn the pieces, Yagami-kun.]" She says, lifting a lighter from her backpack and flicking it on and off. "[You'd have to be a vampire to be strong enough to do it. But let's go over the basics before we stray to complexities.]" Click, click.

He nods, a look of concentration crossing his features.

"[Newborn vampires. It is in the first year after the change is made that a vampire is at its strongest and most uncontrollable. Newborns have no restraint.]" Click, click. "[They go into feeding frenzies the instant they catch human scent.]" Click, click. "[They're also stronger than other vampires, because their own blood is still in their bodies.]" Click, click. "[Newborns have eyes that are bright red. They begin to fade to darker red after the first year, as well as strength waning.]" Click, click.

"[One year.]" Yagami repeats. Click, click.

"[Yes.]" Click, click. Then she abrubtly puts the lighter away. "[Under no circumstance should a vampire go out in the sun when they can be seen.]" Azia continues, getting up and pulling up the shade covering the dirty window. The sunlight makes her sparkle. "[Vampires have this terrible tendency to sparkle in the sun.]"

"[Ooooh!]" Misa cries.

"[It's actually quite annoying.]" Azia says, shutting the shade, redrawing her lighter, and returning to her perch on the back of the chair. "[That's the basics of a vampire. Oh, and don't attempt to eat human food after the change, it tastes appalling.]" Click, click.

"[Why don't vampires rule the world?]" Light asks.

"[There are rules to follow.]" Click, click.

"[Rules.]"

"[And a ruling coven to reinforce them.]" Click, click. "[Number one. Under no circumstance can humans know about the existence of vampires.]"

"[You just broke that rule.]" Light points out. But his mind now seems elsewhere.

"[Thank you for that blinding flash of the obvious, Yagami-san. Hence why you have to change or die.]" Click, click. "[The rule is simply to help the ruling coven to stay in power. They say they are for justice, they just like being in charge. I have no objections to that, most don't care what they do.]" Click, click. "[Futhermore, anything that could cause vampires to be revealed is forbidden. This includes being in the sun where humans can see you,]" Click, click. "[Letting humans that know of vampires live, making scenes and drawing attention, and creating vampire children.]" Click, click.

"[Vampire children.]" Light repeats.

"[They can't learn to control themselves and they don't have mature judgment.]" Click, click.

"[But you?]"

"[I'm over 500, Yagami-kun. I don't consider myself a child.]" Click, click. "[I also happen to be well under the Volturi's radar.]

"[The Volturi?]"

"[The ruling coven. There are three vampires, Aro, Caius and Marcus, Aro being the head.]" Click, click. "[Two of them have mates, they don't do much. Then there's the Volturi's guard, which consists of very powerful vampires. They hunt and kill rulebreakers and anyone who opposes them. They're in Voltera, Italy. Don't hunt in Voltera unless you want to start a fight.]" Click, click.

"[I see.]"

"[They show no mercy.]" Azia says. "[They are famous for that.]" Click, click. "[They aren't much to worry about, unless you're breaking rules.]"

"[You still haven't explained how you found Misa or why you insist on changing her.]" Light points out.

"[Ah, yes. Some vampires have supernatural gifts. Such are rare, about 1 in every 50 vampires will have one." Click, click. "[Amari is such. She feels compulsed to change certain humans. Usually, the urge happens when their death is nearing, but not all the time. Gifts… benefit the survival of the holder. In Amari's case, this one benefits the race altogether.]"

"[Is there anything particular about the humans, or is it random?]"

Click, click. "[Every human Amari changes has an extremely powerful gift. After the change, Misa-san will as well.]"

"[MisaMisa is special?]" Misa asks, eyes wide.

Click, click.

Amari nods. "[Special, special, special, special.]" She whispers, pulling two clumps of Misa's hair up without reason.

"[And me?]" Light asks.

"[He's not special at all.]" Amari reports dreamily.

Click, click.

Light looks rather displeasured at this news.

"[Don't worry Light-kun, you'll always be special to Misa-chan!]"

Click, click.

"[Did Amari change you?]" Light asks.

"[Curious, aren't you?]" Smirking. Click, click.

"[You could say that. I think it's only natural.]" He answers.

"[You're incredibly calm and accepting of all of this.]" Azia comments. Click, click. "[I attribute it to the fact that you've had some encounters with the supernatural, being that shinigami, am I correct?]"

"[Yes, that's right. You're very skilled at changing the subject, Azia-san.]"

"[I assumed at this point it would be fairly obvious. Yes, as a matter of fact Amari did, Yagami-kun. One has to have something special up their sleeve in order to survive in our world looking like me.]" Click, click. "[However, I will not tell you what my gift is.]" Click, click. "[Deduction is fair game though.]"

"[Fair enough, Azia-san.]" He says, leaning back on his hands.

"[Do you have any questions?]" Click, click.

"[Is a teenage boy living with you?]" Light asks.

She glances down at her clothing. Click, click. A dark red long-sleeved shirt meant for a much older male. It hangs almost to her knees. Her legs are bare, and she's barefoot. She should work on not destroying her clothing all the time, and then she wouldn't have to borrow Quinn's. "[You would be able to tell by scent if you made the change, so I will tell you. Yes, he's upstairs. He's a newborn, so I don't think you'll be meeting him for a while.]"

"[Amari's?]" Light asks.

"[Mine, actually.]"

"[You look too young to have children.]" He objects.

"[Vampires' bodies don't change. They can't bear children. The survival of the species relies on humans being turned into vampires.]"

"[Tell me, how does that come to pass?]" Light asks, leaning forward.

"[Venom to the bloodstream. If the vampire doesn't suck you dry, you're going to change.]"

"[Ah.]"

"[Misa-san, when you become a vampire, stay away from the Volturi. The leader, Aro, will know every thought you've ever had with just one touch. They may kill you, just for meeting me, and they will certainly try to track me down, and I will find that very annoying.]"

"[Don't worry, Baldie-chan! Misa will never, ever tell!]"

"[My name is Azia.]"

"[Azia-san, please tell me everything you know about the Volturi.]" Light requests, staring at her intently.

"[Beware the twins…]" Amari says.

"[Who are the twins?]" Light inquires to Azia.

"[Two vampires, Jane and Alec are the key to the Volturi winning every battle.]" Azia says.

"[I created them… a long, long time ago.]" Amari adds distantly.

"[They look to be in their early double digits. Jane has the ability to make someone feel like they are burning. That's by far the worst pain for a vampire. Alec, on the other hand, can deprive someone of all their senses. I know they have a tracker who can find almost anyone. They also have some members that can manipulate emotions, I believe. A lot of the guard is simply chosen for their formidability. The mates of the Volturi don't do much.]" She shrugs. "[Why would you inquire as to all this?]"

"[I want to know what we're up against.]"

"[Then you will be making the change? I must warn you, the pain is beyond excruciating.]"

"[Of course I'll make the change. Misa is my one true love.]" He states, gesturing to Misa.

"[Oh, Light.]" Misa says happily, pulling him close. "[I knew I was your one true love. I knew it!]"

Azia raises her eyebrows. It's obvious that their romance is one-sided, and that Light just uses Misa, who's too in love with him to realize or see anything wrong with that. He'll stay with her for her gift.

Azia has a feeling that he's already making plans.

But it will make Misa happy, and she may need help after the change. "[Very well.]"

"[I think I would like this one to be my Quinn.]" Amari says distantly, almost done putting Misa's hair into tiny braids.

"[Quinn?]"

"[She wants Misa-san as bright and overenthusiastic friend of sorts.]" Azia explains dully. Oh no. She doesn't think she can handle another overenthusiastic airhead. No, that's wrong. Quinn isn't an idiot, he just has his moments, like everyone else.

She revises her statement. She doesn't think she can handle another person intruding her life. Misa's very presence pops her thinking bubble. She can't hack or read or anything like that comfortably when someone invades her thinking space. Amari doesn't, and Quinn usually doesn't, only when he interrupts her. Misa… her personality is a too loud and too bright. Azia thinks best in the quiet and dark.

"[Misa-chan is friends with everyone!]"

"[I suppose Misa can stay if she really, really wants to, but I want to go see the world after I change. I think I want to be alone for a while.]" He says, failing to sound regretful.

"[Alone? Even away from Misa?]" Misa's voice has risen a couple octaves.

"[Misa, you're always welcome to come with me.]" Light lies through his teeth.

"[Yay! MisaMisa and Light will always be together! Forever and ever!]" She exclaims, clinging to his arm. She turns to Amari. "[Sorry, weirdo-chan. Maybe we'll see you around though.]" She says.

"[Let's get this over with then. Transformation takes about three days. We'll be gone by the time you're done.]" Azia says. "[We have other matters to attend to.]" She opens her backpack and pulls two syringes from a box.

"[You're going to inject us.]" Light states.

"[I have self-control. But there's still a 50% chance we would kill you if we bit you.]"

Amari takes both needles and sticks them in her mouth, and then pulls the plungers back. She wipes them off carefully.

Amari sticks a needle into Misa's arm and looks Misa in the eyes with sudden intensity. "[Child.]" Amari breathes. "[Find out what love really means.]"

"[What's that supposed to mean?]" Misa asks.

"[On three.]" Azia breathes, sticking the needle into light's.

"One."

"Two."

"Three."

They scream in unison.

X X X X X X X X X X

A/N: I know, I know, I made Misa especially stupid. It's killing me too. But Rix assures you, Azia hated it much more than we did. Much to Light's dismay, Misa's probably going to be getting a lot smarter, because Rix enjoys dumping problems on him. Owo

I'm running out of chapters I have done in advance displeasurously (shut up spellcheck) fast. O_O I'd better get over my writer's block… or actually force myself to think it through… Rix doesn't like to force her stories, she prefers it when the ideas just come, but no, stupid brain isn't magically filling in my blanks. =3=

Subscribe, flame, praise, rant, be random, whatever. If I'm not distracted, I'll watch the pot until it boils. Genuine question: why do I add this if everyone already knows what to do if a story is interesting? O-O

I think Rix will go find something to eat now, be it edible or not. Thank you for your time, sirs.

~Your Rix


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Sorry I forgot to tell everyone, when someone says something in brackets [] it means they're speaking in Japanese.

Disclaimers: IDNOT. IDNODN.

X X X X X X X X X X

L has Rena working on the firewalls, so he can think for a moment. He's drinking French Vanilla creamer out of the bottle.

He goes over the timeline in his head. The system was hacked at exactly 12 AM. All guards were ordered away from the section Misa Amane was in. All alarms were disabled, but a third floor window was broken just seconds after the system was broken into. They knew exactly where Misa was. The perpetrators must have used the window as an entryway, but there was no evidence of any equipment. Three floors up. The bars over the windows seem to have been cut with a small power saw, yet an efficient one. The glass was broken from the outside.

Quite a physical feat. Scaling to the third floor with a power saw and a piece of equipment big enough to break some 6 inch thick glass. Misa's cell was opened at 12:01. They were moving quick.

Misa was the original target of this break-in. They came for her first, though it would have been more convenient to go to Light's cell first.

Knockout gas was used on all the guards. Add gasmasks to the list of things the perpetrators would have to have.

There was considerable delay before the perpetrators moved again, the next command came three minutes later, to vacate Yagami's section.

Going there was not part of the original plan.

L sips the creamer.

Therefore this attack was all about Misa Amane. Why would the perpetrators want her and not Yagami at first? Yagami was the original Kira. Were the perpetrators unaware? Either way, Misa must have convinced them to take Light as well. They got Yagami out of his cell, and then at 12:08, the prison went into lockdown. There was obviously some more delay, because no more commands were given via the computer.

This is where it gets complicated. The guards flooded the floor. They report that there was a thick gas in the hall when they ran in and that they couldn't find the perpetrators before the gas knocked them out. It looks like it was smoke and knockout gas. The perpetrators exited through the window, because a piece of fabric was left on it. Dark red, cotton. Not very distinctive.

Overall it was simple, up to this point.

They were gone. The police searched the area. There was no getaway vehicle. No cars were stolen, no cars that were in the security feeds from before were missing. The place has practically been dissected looking for them, because it seems they had no means to escape but foot. They scanned for body heat, every inch of the prison and the prison grounds. Nowhere. L directed the search himself, there is no way that Light and Misa are at that prison unless they're dead and very well hidden.

How did they get away from the prison?

He takes another swig of the creamer.

All the sudden, Ryuk, the shinigami appears in the plane.

"Do you have any apples?"

The shinigami probably knows something. L might be able to trick a little out of him if he does it right.

"I thought Light was in charge of your apple needs." L comments, turning from his computer.

"Who are you talking to?" Rena asks.

"A shinigami. Please don't mind us."

"Tell her I said hello." Ryuk suggests.

"He said hello to you." L reports.

"Hello, ." Rena answers, eyes unwavering from her screen.

L gets up and checks the mini fridge. They have no apples, but he does offer Ryuk some strawberries.

"I must say, your hair looks quite appalling." L comments monotonously, holding one over his own mouth, sitting back down in his chair.

Ryuk would never willingly let anyone do that to his hair.

"These strawberries are good, but they're just not apples." Ryuk says, dangling one above his mouth and avoiding the question. Rena looks up for a moment to see a strawberry floating in the air drop and disappear. She raises her eyebrows and goes back to her computer.

"I apologize, they're all I have at the moment." L says. "Was it Misa?" He says, going back to the subject of hair.

It was obviously someone who came in contact with him. That could see him.

"No, she was too busy suffocating Light." He says, laughing his chilling laugh.

How is this possible? L destroyed all of the death notes but the one with his name in it. He even accounted for all the scraps of paper. And the shinigami had his death note.

"I suggest you be more careful about leaving death notes around. I don't have time to solve many more cases for your amusement." L drones, eyes flat.

"Oh, but I didn't drop a death note, brilliant detective. You have the only one on earth right now" He says, continuing to laugh. "I can't wait to watch this one."

"I don't suppose you'd just tell me where Light and Amane are now?" L asks dully.

"What fun would that be?" Ryuk asks.

L feels a shiver of intuition run down his back.

"Ryuk, I am the owner of this death note, am I correct?" L asks. Light's and Misa's are destroyed, but they still technically own them, they still have the memories even though Ryuk is no longer bound to them.

"Yes, It seems you are." Ryuk says, pointer finger on his disgusting lip.

"In that case, I believe I'm going to blackmail you a bit." L decides. "If you don't answer my questions, I'm going to destroy this death note, here and now. You will have no more ties to the human world and no jurisdiction to be here."

"That's no fun at all." Ryuk states. "It was just starting to get interesting again."

"Actually, I would find burning this death note quite amusing." L replies, dangling the death note with two fingers.

Ryuk just starts laughing.

"Where are Light Yagami and Misa Amane?"

"I'm not telling you that. Then it would all be over, and that's just as boring as having the note burned." Ryuk reasons.

L expected that answer. "Then tell me this. The perpetrators could see you without touching a death note, as well as being formidable enough to restrain you enough to braid all of your hair in spite of all the protests you undoubtedly made."

"Right." Ryuk says, sounding a little annoyed.

"Tell me, can you see the lifespans of animals? Species other than humans?"

"No. Because Shinigami only kill humans, we can't see lifespans of anything but humans."

"Then I assume you couldn't see names or lifespans for the perpetrators."

"Right again."

But obviously, they were humanoid, to braid his hair. And intelligent to release Light at Misa's demand. L opens his laptop and pulls up the picture of Nina Brown.

"Tell me, does this woman have a lifespan?"

"Why don't you make the trade and find out?"

"Rena, will you please bring me means to safely set the notebook on fire?"

"Sure." She says, getting up.

"And bring me more sweets too. I've run out of creamer."

"I'll try some cake." Ryuk volunteers.

"All the cake is mine. You can't have any." L explains. He usually doesn't mind sharing his sweets… much… but he doesn't like Ryuk at all. Frankly, he hates him and he's not sharing.

"But you let me have strawberries." Ryuk contradicts.

"I only have 10 cakes. I will need them all for my own consumption. This point isn't up for debate, Mr. Ryuk." L insists monotonously, scratching his knee. He doesn't want to share his cake with him, therefore he will not be sharing his cake with him. End of discussion.

"I think you just don't want to share with me." Ryuk says. "Anyway, this is the last question I'm answering for you. That woman has no name and no lifespan." Impossible speed and agility. It would explain how they left the scene of the crime.

75 percent chance the cases are now linked. "I will determine when our conversation is over, Mr. Ryuk. You cannot kill me, and if you threaten anyone, I will burn the death note. Now please, play along." L says emotionlessly.

"It's generally especially bad luck for a human to make a death god upset." Ryuk says.

"I play a game of odds, Mr. Ryuk. Luck has little to do with it."

X X X X X X X X X X

All the sudden, Amari shoots upward, head breaking the ocean's surface.

Azia follows, taking a breath of air, and then Quinn. They tread ocean, with nothing but water in sight.

"It was a mistake." Amari announces.

"It was a mistake." Azia agrees.

They share a look. Should they go back?

"Yes." She breathes. "But the second… every moment is necessary."

"Will someone explain what's going on here?" Quinn asks. "What was a mistake?"

"The male human." Azia answers.

"We should have killed him." Amari says distantly.

"Are we going to have to find him and kill him?" Quinn asks. "As a vampire?"

"There's a possibility." Azia answers. "The second human comes first. He keeps moving on Amari, right?"

Amari nods. Azia knows her well.

"It's very confusing when the location suddenly changes, even only slightly."

"His days are numbered…" Amari says distantly. "And he runs. He is the most invisible mortal I have ever… his signature… it fluctuates… and his mind… he is so blurry. Phantom… Furthermore… his signature… it changes… and it disappears."

"Do you even know where he is?" Azia asks.

Amari shakes her head.

"Oh no." Azia groans.

"What?" Quinn inquires again.

"We actually have no idea where we're going. Amari is just letting the compulsion drag her, but she might not be interpreting the impulses right... they change, and until her mind has time to fully adjust, we might be getting towed in the wrong direction."

"I don't get it."

"Amari has to decode her compulsion. It's all confusing, she doesn't understand it at first, but when she figures it out, then the pull starts dragging her towards the human. Then, suddenly, what means what in her mind about where she has to go and who the human is all gets switched. Essentially, pull starts…" Azia starts searching for the word. "…Derping. Because she can't understand the commands about when the human is anymore. All the instinctual information starts coming to her in a whole new language, basically. She has to wait for it to make sense before she can identify what she's looking for again."

Quinn looks confused.

"Say she's looking for someone labeled… cat. All the sudden, the word cat changes to 'gato' and all the already vauge and confusing directions get translated into Spanish. Amari's GPS doesn't do Spanish. She has to figure out that 'gato' is 'cat'. Same word, different way of saying it. And then the rest of the language. Until she figures out Spanish, completely right, we're stuck or we're going in the wrong direction. Luckily, the GPS slowly starts taking the new language. Then, once she gets it, she has to GO. She feels pulled when she doesn't know the language, but when she does, all the sudden, the pull gets 100 times stronger at least. Unfortunately, the language changes again."

Amari nods. She prefers to let Azia speak than to talk herself.

"Now imagine the word isn't a direct translation anymore. In English, you're looking for cat, but when you go to Spanish, cat gets translated and you discover that you're not looking for someone labeled 'gato', but someone labeled an entirely different word. It makes no sense. And then, the word keeps moving, you can't find it in the sentence it was in, the directions completely change when the human moves. It's very complicated, I oversimplified."

"We're gonna get lost, aren't we?"

"The odds are high." Azia replies.

"The compulsions sound really hard to figure out."

"Hence why we wait until they're strong enough for Amari to get a solid pull. Or we'd be wandering all over the place. The languages don't change as fast when the human is getting close to dying. That's the only time we can start tracking."

"Why don't we just wait for the compulsion to get… normal."

"I have too…" Amari hisses.

"It's not going to get better." Azia clarifies. "She can't keep still. It's taking control, Quinn. We have no choice but wandering around for a while."

"So the language your directions are in keeps changing, and the thing we're looking for keeps changing, and where it is keeps changing. We're doomed to wander until we figure out what the heck we're doing, and you turned a creeper into a vampire." Quinn concludes. "This is really awesome guys, just saying."

X X X X X X X X X X

Light sits on a rooftop, a content Misa deadweight on his shoulder. Her scent resembles fruit punch, but it's more of a perfume than something appetizing.

The world is vivid now. All is defined. The city sleeps fitfully, showered in its own light. All the slight aspects that go unnoticed are now shockingly blatant creating a picture of a quality a human will never appreciate. The sounds of life, no matter how insignificant, create an unmelodious song, and yet it practically pulses, rhythmlessly, but pulses none the less with life. If he listens, he can pick out each individual sound. It would give him a headache, the stupid beings interrupting his peace, but he can't get them anymore. The textures of the world under his fingertips… he never imagined that even he would rise this high.

He's never felt as alive as he is now, without a heartbeat. He feels like a god.

If that statement didn't just make your stomach turn in dread, you need to reread it. Light Yagami's megalomaniacal god-complex has just risen to the next level.

The scents are the most overwhelming. His own, comparable to nutmeg. Misa's fruit punch. But most of all, if you ignore the pollution of a race that has been allowed to advance too far, humans. The air is a tainted drug and he's addicted. It's provocative, enticing scent. If he gets closer, it takes control.

Flesh and blood and warmth. Life itself in an edible form.

He parts his lips slightly and draws the air over his tongue. Venom drowns his tongue in his mouth as the scent sets his throat on fire. It's almost unbearably intoxicating.

Even after 23 dead bodies to his name.

Other than making sure that the humans were unlikely to be missed, he fed without discretion. Best to stay unnoticed until he has a plan.

His previous ways, executing criminals in favor of bettering mankind, seem like foolishness now. Utter foolishness.

Humans just aren't worth the trouble. They're petty and inferior and even the most significant things they do aren't significant at all.

Humans are insignificant. So utterly, completely insignificant.

Short lived, shallow, stupid. An individual human means nothing. A whole mess of humans means nothing. They have their fancy technology like television and computers that are broadcasting things that are irrelevant to most of their race and won't mean anything just a few thousand years from now. They are just the smallest specks in the line of time, here today, gone tomorrow.

Insignificant. Utterly insignificant. But they're not completely worthless, they're only worthless as intelligent life forms. Humans are food. Slightly intelligent food, he'll give them that. But now Light thinks with a new clarity.

Humans are livestock. Vampires are superior in every way. And yet a normal, pathetic, completely insignificant human has more of a life than they do, hiding and scavenging. They're speaking on cellular phones and watching their televisions while vampires are off roaming the wild like animals.

They've advanced to complex civilizations, uniting, living amongst each other with careful order. While the closest thing the vampire world has to a government is the Volturi. The Volturi are all idiots, he can tell that already. They may be even stupider than humans. They have grown complacent, and they've forced the vampire race to complacency. Vampires are stupid. Humans are stupider, but vampires are still stupid.

The strong have been mastered by the weak.

That is not the way things should be, the strong restricted by the helpless. The world is not as it should be, the apex predator is not at the top, the ones who seem quite literally retarded are ruling the world like they should rule the world. The unbalance of is deeply disturbing.

A revolution is in order. Light Yagami is not one to sit around and wait for the world to change.

The Volturi must be destroyed. They are the reason the vampires are reduced to cowering before their prey. They've put themselves below humans, insisting on refusing their rights as vampires, the right of superiority over humans.

He doesn't care about that. They can defile themselves.

The crucial issue is that the Volturi have dragged down every member of the vampire race with them, and refused to let them rise.

A new order must be established in the place of this decrepit, sickening one. Humans will be contained and given an adequate situation for their purpose: food. They are livestock, they should be treated as livestock, raised for the slaughter of the superior race.

Like those chickens and cows they like to process into slabs of muscle or pulp and wrap in their cleverly invented plastic. They have to pour chemicals into everything until it's unfit for consumption before eating it. Livestock, to be kept fresh and decent for its purpose. No more feeding on the trash of the slums, no more blood polluted with drugs and medicines and human disease. Fresh, pure food at easy access.

For a superior race, that isn't anything to ask at all. And yet it's denied by the stupidity of the Volturi and the complacency of all the other vampires.

Vampires will be at the top of the new order, as they should be. And at the top of the vampires, Light himself. Not because he especially wants to rule, he tells himself, but because everyone else is doing it wrong, and he's the only one who's daring enough to start a revolution at the moment. Everyone else has failed or is too pathetic to try.

So clearly, Light concludes, he is the only one qualified to lead this new order. It would crumble under anyone else.

For the sake of everything to be right in the world, all in opposition must fall.

X X X X X X X X X X

There are no leads in the Kira case or the mass-murder case. L is depressed. He's been absently hammering away at the firewall for about 36 hours straight, nomming on cupcakes. He's made little progress.

This could be enormous. The attack on the prison and the attacks happening in America were of a very different nature, and one happened in Japan and all the others in America. He's not sure if they're directly related, the cases could be linked by only the superhumans themselves. Maybe these superhumans are more common than he once thought. There's a possibility that they are widespread, but have just been kept a secret.

In that case, there is a possibility that the first organization is targeting the entire species, or the government of the entire species, by revealing themselves. A mere possibility.

He has to wait for evidence of the second party taking action.

Light and Misa could be almost anywhere by now. Why would superhumans want to save the Kiras? It's highly unlikely that it was a coincidence, but there is the slightest possibility, seeing that they didn't seem to know about Light until they came in contact with Misa.

But why? It is likely that they expect the Kiras to be useful in some manner. Neither of them have the murder notebooks anymore. Light is very intelligent, he could be of some help, but the attack was about Misa.

The perpetrators don't seem to know much about the Kira case at all. Hence the unlikely possibility it was a coincidence.

But if it was, why would someone go through the trouble of breaking into a high-security prison?

L sighs. He supposes it would be best to research Misa again, see why anyone would have motivation and the ability to jailbreak her from prison. Maybe some insane fans? He'll have Rena do that if she gets a chance, he already has her trying to trace any signs of the superhumans and research anything they could have been involved in in the past. Right now his biggest lead and priority for the Kira case is to get through this impossible firewall.

He eats half a cupcake in one bite.

The difficult thing about the mass-murder case is that he doesn't know enough about the target of the organization to manipulate them. What is their precise objective? That is the first thing he has to take steps to figure out, and to do that, he needs to identify the second party.

It's frustrating. All the research has heeded nothing. He can't even identify the first party well. There just isn't enough information. Well actually, there probably is, but he doesn't have time to look at it all. He never sleeps as it is, but still, there's so much data to go through, because there really are no leads.

It's times like this L misses his investigation team. Even Matsuda. They would've helped with the workload.

He was used to being a loner, he solved every case he'd ever taken on alone, save for the Kira case. All this time, he insisted on never having contact with the police he worked with. That's undoubtedly why he lived this long. He didn't like other's presence. With the exception of Watari, and even Watari sometimes, anyone watching him made him feel acutely self-conscious, as well as overly aware of the other person. Vulnerable. Just having an unfamiliar person in his thinking space is like knowing a normal person knowing potential killer is standing behind him and breathing down his neck for L.

The paranoia is awful, the only way to combat it is to become so absorbed in a case that everything else is ignored. Which is really quite reckless.

Yes, he's a sociopath. He has it bad.

He never enjoyed another person's company, not before the Kira case. That was an enormous step out of his comfort zone for him, that he wouldn't have taken any other way. He had to do his best with the pressure of the Kira case with people surrounding him. He had to give directions face to face. He had to explain things directly to someone. Was he painfully aware of it? Yes. Did he show any sign of it at all? No. He's a super-genius, they could tolerate his strangeness for the sake of utilizing his intelligence. Shut up and deal with me.

L had always despised failure. But it was easier to deal with when there were no witnesses. Now, he had to take responsibility when Kira outwitted him as a person instead of just a computer. But also… people are more tolerant of imperfection than he once thought. He grew accustomed to having an investigation team. It was more than hands to do his research, it was the presence of other people. He enjoyed talking to them. He slowly got used to having other people in the room, watching him work, interrupting him every 5 seconds.

Yes, it was certainly utterly inconvenient at times and quite annoying at others. They did more interfering than he would have liked. It was always awkward, even in the moments it was rewarding. All the interaction…

L concludes that he no longer is bothered by the presence of people that he can sort of trust. But too much interaction with everyone else is just too much interaction, the Kira case with the investigation team was an overload of that. He still values having time to himself.

He made his first friends, even if they weren't loyal to him.

It's actually not important as long as he can focus. The case comes first. The case was always irrevocably first, nothing was ever as important as solving that case. L wanted nothing more than to win. It's not over yet, he doesn't need the investigation team, he'll lose whatever social wisdom and desire he picked up soon enough. Next to this all-consuming case, it's insignificant.

He's a slave to his addiction. The mental stimulation that only a fascinating case can bring on. Only winning, solving it, ever satisfies. And even then, he can't stop. As soon as he wins, he can't wait to take the next interesting one on.

The pressure wastes him, and sometimes the situations he gets himself into make him utterly miserable, but he wouldn't have it any other way.

L almost smiles.

He is justice. He will be victorious.

X X X X X X X X X X

A/N: This is all I have written. I feel unmotivated and uninspired. I don't really want to drop the story, but I'm not sure where to go with it, I need some input from some other authors. I'll have to round up my foolpack IRL and make them help me.

Also, I plan to post a pilot for another Death Note fanfic soon, so if for some reason anyone cares that I'm putting this on hiatus until further motivation, you can go read that.

Any feedback is appreciated, der. Maybe it will help with my writer's block, if it's helpful.

Meh.

~Your Rix


	5. Hiatus Announcement

June 6, 2012

Hiatus Announcement:

Though it's pretty obvious from the way I haven't been updating, The Hourglass Chronicles of L Lawliet is on hiatus. I do intend to continue to write it, but I'm very preoccupied with several other writing projects and I have been for some time, including I NeVeR (which is no longer on unofficial hiatus, I'm writing it now…) and another story I hope to post fairly soon (which will hopefully be awesome enough that you'll forgive me).

I intend to resume working on it when the summer starts, I'll have more time to write and I'll get the chance to read the Twilight Saga again (it's been a while)

I'm not giving up on the story, so don't give up on me!

'. You all want to burn me at the stake, if you actually took the time to read the fanfic. Just hang in there for another month or so.

Yeah. Sorry about that *coughterribleauthorcough* =-= *facedesk. No, more like facekeyboard.*

Your awesome(Derp/MIA/AWOL)author, Rix.


End file.
